Historic Vinoy hotel re-establishes itself as a Tampa Bay icon
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Photo courtesy of The Vinoy
After multiple facelifts over the last three decades, The Vinoy hotel in downtown St. Pete has once again rebranded — this time with even more emphasis on sharing its nearly 100-year history.
Why it matters: The hotel is a Tampa Bay icon, and its renovation brings the famous pink building back into the community after a year of being blocked off by construction.
- While guests could book rooms, construction hindered interaction. The new veranda and lobby cafe mean those strolling through Vinoy Park and the pier area can stop in again for a bite or drink and learn about the hotel's history.
State of play: The Vinoy wrapped the first phase of a multiyear renovation of the hotel and its adjacent properties this spring. In April, it became part of Marriott Bonvoy's upscale Autograph Collection, a group of boutique hotels.
- Most recently, the hotel started offering a high tea and history tour. Parasol, a Latin American-inspired, full-service outdoor restaurant, opened this summer.
- The first phase of renovations included the veranda, lobby, guest rooms, ballrooms and meeting spaces and a new spa and wellness area.
Zoom in: Guests checking in get a postcard showing historical scenes from The Vinoy and are invited to tour the resort with a docent and visit the newly designed history gallery.
Flashback: The resort, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in less than a year leading to its grand opening on New Year's Eve 1925.
- It was visited by both Presidents Coolidge and Hoover and was used as military housing during World War II.
- Changing times and a rough economy led the hotel to close in 1975. The once-prestigious empty building attracted squatters and even alligators in its dereliction, according to a hotel historian. In 1992, it was restored and reopened.
The big picture: The hotel is a symbol of rebirth — a sign of hope after hard times, St. Petersburg Museum of History executive director Rui Farias tells Axios.
- He notes that the latest renovations make the building look more like its original self than it has in decades.
- "No matter what is happening downtown people look to the end of the water and see that big beautiful hotel and the shining light of our renaissance," he says.
What's ahead: The Veranda deck restaurant is planned to open in October. Near the end of the year, the former Marchand's off of the grand lobby will become a fine dining restaurant with a raised garden terrace.